Helpful Hints for the Newly Diagnosed - Part 2Read part 1 here. Ask your GI about support groups in the area. Look online for support sources and groups that seem credible and legit. Visit university IBD Center websites...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
My Side Effects So FarYou can say that many Crohn’s medications are great for you. They are! If your body adapts to them, you can live a semi normal life. I could imagine others who take...Reactions0reactionsComments1 comments
Survivor's GuiltThis is only a story. It is not meant to scare anyone out of treatment or surgery. It's simply meant to tell the story of a beautiful young women I...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
She Needed a Hero - So She Became Her OwnRecently, a lot has been talked about how Blake Beckford - ulcerative colitis advocate and model - was refused entry into a toilet at his local shopping mall. It has...Reactions0reactionsComments1 comments
Do I know myself better than my medical team?Self-advocacy is a funny word. It's something I've always tried to encourage in my writing but lately, I'm struggling with a different kind of dilemma: Is self-advocacy working with your...Reactions0reactionsComments1 comments
Finding a New Nightly Routine with an OstomyEveryone has a nighttime routine they follow before collapsing into bed at the end of the day. For some, the typical bedtime routine may include having a small snack or...Reactions0reactionsComments1 comments
Give Yourself Permission To FeelI was recently watching an episode of Ted Talks. If you're not familiar with Ted Talks, it's basically a "nonprofit dedicated to ideas worth spreading" - Defined by their Facebook...Reactions0reactionsComments1 comments
The Recent PainIt all started about two weeks ago. I was helping a friend move, and I had received a horrible cramping pain in my stomach. I didn’t make anything of it...Reactions0reactionsComments1 comments
Is There a Link Between IBD and Endometriosis?Endometriosis is a chronic condition that affects the female reproductive system. It is thought to affect up to 1 in 10 people of reproductive age who have a uterus. Endometriosis...Reactions0reactionsComments1 comments
7 Awkward Moments When Using a Public BathroomBathroom. Toilet. Restroom. Loo (as us Brits are prone to calling it). Whichever phrase you prefer to use, there's no getting around that using one in public is AWKWARD! I'd...Reactions0reactionsComments1 comments
How to Support a Loved One In a FlareThere are a lot of questions people ask when I tell them I'm flaring. Most of the questions are about how people can help, what they can bring over and...Reactions0reactionsComments1 comments
10 Steps To Becoming An Empowered PatientBeing diagnosed with any chronic condition is overwhelming in itself. Being diagnosed with IBD is especially hard because there are many topics related to our condition that even doctors disagree...Reactions0reactionsComments1 comments
IBD in the GenesDid you know that over 50 genes have been linked to inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)? Although no one knows exactly what causes IBD, your genetics may factor in. So if...Reactions0reactionsComments1 comments
Helpful Hints for the Newly Diagnosed - Part 1These are some helpful hints that I've found based on my experience for the person who's been recently diagnosed with IBD. They may even be helpful for those who weren't...Reactions0reactionsComments1 comments
Think you might have IBD? Here's what you can do!Digestive issues can lead to a lot of confusion. What is causing this pain? Where is the blood in the toilet coming from? Why do I have to use the...Reactions0reactionsComments1 comments
Don't Lose Yourself To Your DiagnosisAfter living with any chronic condition for a number of years, it's easy to forget the person you were before it. Or if you're anything like me, diagnosed as a...Reactions0reactionsComments1 comments
Staying Positive During A FlareDealing with an IBD flare is challenging. It can be hard to keep a positive outlook when you're dealing with so much pain and frustration. Even when I'm not flaring...Reactions0reactionsComments5 comments
Patients Have Power, Don't Be Afraid to Use ItHow many times have you sat in a doctor appointment and felt at a loss for words? Then, the moment you're walking to the car everything you wanted to say...Reactions0reactionsComments1 comments
Crohn's Disease of the VulvaIn the last few articles (What Women Should Know About Living with IBD, and Crohn's Disease in Your Where?), we've talked about the complications that the female reproductive system can...Reactions0reactionsComments19 comments
Self-esteem and IBDSo many that I sometimes even wonder what kind of person I'd be without my condition. I wonder this simply because all of those embarrassing moments impacted me so much...Reactions0reactionsComments1 comments